Disk blade gang



June 2 w1953 J] A; LQvE 2,640,406

DISK BLADE GANG Filed Aug. 12, 1947 vJNVENTOR. Jngez ,4. am

Arran/5K5 Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFi-cs i l vDISK .BLADE GANG J abez A. Love, Eau A("lax'e, Mich..

npplieatidneugust 12, 19 1fz,fIseria1Nu.7se;Tss 2 claims. (c1. `:iv-22o 1 p invention 4relates to improvements inidisk blade gangs, and more particularly toa 'gang or unit assembly consisting of a .plurality of disk :blades which are adapted to 'be used in disk fharrows and like agricultural implements.

'The prim-ary object of the invention v'is to provide a novel, simple, inexpensive disk blade eglllg.

A further object is to provide a disk blade Vgang vof requisite vrstrength k'and rigidity whose weight is small-compared to the Weight of disk f-.bl'ade gangs of conventional Aconstruction to render the 'gang particularly'well suited to use on "harroWs of the `lift typefas shown in my Patent No. 320.624, dated June .11, 1943.

'n Vfurther object is to :provide a disk blade 'gang having a novel bearing construction.

A 4further object is to provide a disk 'blade gang rwherein the disk blades are held in proper spaced relation and inproper `attitude relative tofeach other `byrneans of 'tubular spacers which =are centered relative to the=blades and to a center -shaft by centering disks.

Other objects Will be apparent from the following speciiic'ation.

In ythe drawing:

-Fig. -1 is a view of the disk gang in elevation.

-Fig.=2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal axial sectional view of the disk gang.

Fig. V3 is an 'enlarged fragmentary axial secj- -tional view of one endportion of the'diskfgan'g.

Fig. Llis a transverse'sectional *view taken Von Alined-ll of -Fig. 2l.

` vFig. -5 is anvenlarged fragmentary axial sectional View o 'a modified `embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Ythe drawing which 'illustrates the *preferred embodiment of'the invention, the nulmeral Hl designates disk blades of vany'suitable `size andshape land "constructed in a manner-cus- *tomaryv in the'art. fEach of these blades as shown :is circular in shape and isof concavo-conve'x form. All bladesv used ina singlegangareof the same :diameterandpreferably of the same contour. -An elongated 'rigid bar 'I2 of non-circular `cross-sectional shape, f here shown 'as square vin vcossr-section, v-extends for the full length of the gang-'and'fthefdi'sk blades It) have central openfingsof a complementary'conguration to t over 'the vvslia'ft l 2 and'to'be inch-'rotatable thereon. One endof the shaft "f2 is provided with an-enlarged 'head f4, and tlie'opposite end vf I6 of the shaft -'l=2 isi preferably screwith'readed ffEachf the "disk-blades has apairoifcentering disks `V`in engagement "with fthe 'opposite faes thereby. Rigid'in-etallspace.

2 thereof. The centering disksA l t8 fare fconflgured 'or `contoured. to ybearagainst fthe convex :tace f fthe-blades, :and thefcentering disks ..20 l.tre-contoured to nt against v'the concave lface of @the blades. These centering disks are preferably of vsubstantially fthe 'saine vdiameter :and have :cientr'alopenings therein of Sa size L'and shape fto t snuglyraround the shaft 12. The centeringidisks i 8-may'l'have a Vslightlysmallerlradius ofxcurvature than the blades la `and have anfannular 'offset '2 formed therein, Athe same :preferably fhavihg `selected inner and outer diameters .for :purposes to `be setforth hereinafter. ATheinnerifcente'eri'ng disks have annularoffsets 24 formedtherein whose inner and outerdiameters correspond .with ythe diameters v,oi the offset .22 yof'the Fcentering lfdisk i3. 11i desired, the 'centering -disks @I8 and 2l-may be `rsecured -1rigid1y for xedlyfto-thevd-isk `blades 1:0, but this is noterequired 'or f essential. The vsecuringfas by spotiwelding, .ofthev centering `disks fto #the @blade Iwill f-serve 'to "reinforce fthe fdisk "but otherwise serves \no :function -,vs/herethe openings: in;` said'l centering vdisks tzsnugly around the )shaft -rl2 to @be vheld yin, :r:oncentric )relation 'besiZGof a length equal to the "spacing adesir-ed .between .fthe disk r blades I Orbear fat theirl opposite endssagainsty-the 'center-ing" disks ftd and 20. r`Each :spacer tubeiZB #ist preferably of-'such aI diameter-that its opposite ends will t snugly l-aroimd rthe :projections for offsets ZZFandIl'otheLrmgs#18 and 20F-.to @be 4held inconcentric relationrwithithe shaft 11.2, las ,f bestfshown in Figv 2. .-Therispacerslare inter.. :posed between the fva'rious-'disksmaking up fthe 'disk.gang 'With the-"exception .ofi twospacesfa'd- :jacent opposite tends' of the gang @which faire #to Vmount the :'bearingsfforzthefdiskzgang.

--The .bearing units Avare :designatedgenerallyaby 4'the numeral130,.='b`eing locatediiadjacent opposite :endsfof-thezgangforconnectionof'thegang-With vthe'frame of theiharroivforrotherfimplement on which the disk fblade gangs fare to zbemou-nted. The `construction" `of these bearingsis @best :shown .insFig. zfandfconsists oian inner' tubularm'ember 32 of af length selectedfto space theadjacentpadisk `blades l*the desired .distance4` apart toscorrespond l--vv-iththe spacing ofthe othervdiskablades bysz-the tubeszZ 6. V-The :tubef30 risV ofssuchI aifdiameterf that its Fends .-'beariagains't" the .offsets 22and-2`4 at? the inner"forf"small diameter .shoulders .tliereof. `='-A .tubularibearing vrnernberi 36;'preferablyiormed of the bearings.

stantially equal to the diameter of the tubular spacers 26. A plate 40 is welded or otherwise xedly secured to the tube 38, the same preferably being of the form best shown in Fig. 1, and being so positioned that one end portion projects beyond the tube 38 and has an opening 42 formed in its projecting portion adapted for connection With and fitting upon the frame of the harrow to interconnect the gang with the harrow frame.

The parts are held together in operative relation by end thrust in an inward direction exerted against the outermost disk blades I0. Thus the head I4 at one end of the bar bears against the centering disk I8 on the blade adjacent to said head or against any other suitable Washer or abutment member (not shown); and a spring washer 44, preferably of concave-convex form as illustrated in Fig. 3, encircles the other end of the shaft I2 and bears against the outermost disk I0 adjacent thereto or against a washer or a centering ring as shown. A nut 4E is threaded upon the end I6 of the shaft I2 and serves to draw the parts into firm operative engagement and position.

It will be apparent that, when the disk blade gang is assembled as illustrated by the tightening of the nut 46 upon the shaft I2 to bring all of the constituent parts into iirm assembled relation, a rigid and sturdy construction is provided. The

`disk blades are held in proper spaced relation and in desired attitude with respect to the shaft I2 by the spacer tubes 28 and the tubes 32 of A uniform radial distribution of weight is assured by this construction and requisite strength is obtained without danger of tilting or play of the disk blades I0. It will be apparent that the tubes 2B and 32 are inherently strong by virtue of their shape and will not buckle or become distorted incident to stresses applied thereto in use. These tubes 26 and 32 are held in co-axial relation to the shaft I2 by the offsets 22 and 24 upon the centering rings i8 and 20, thus assuring a balanced relation of the parts at all times. Centering rrings IB and serve to reinforce the disk blades and may extend to any selected radial dimension for this purpose. It

Will be apparent that the entire construction is light in weight as compared to spacers which are -formed of metal castings, as has been customary in this art heretofore. The function of the spring washer 44, and of the comparatively deepdished rings I8, is to impart a spring tension to the assembly, thereby aiording a certain amount of resiliency in the event an obstacle is struck during the operation of the disk gang for its intended purpose as a part of a disk barrow. At the same time this tension assures that the parts will be effectively held together and Will not loosen lincident to vibration. A further function of the washer 44 is to hold the nut 46 against rotation or loosening upon the shaft I2.

The construction of the bearings is likewise adapted to provide a light weight smoothly functioning bearing having minimum friction. The wood bearing 36 permits relative rotation between the same and the inner tube 32, providing a large surface area to minimize wear due to friction. The wood bearing is of comparatively light weight and, if selected of proper material such as hard maple, will have the necessary strength and anti-friction properties to serve its desired purpose. Ihe outer sleeve 38 which embraces the Wood bearing 36 serves to reinforce that bearing to prevent splitting thereof, to assure equal or uniform distribution of stresses thereto, and to 4 protect the same against cutting thereof in the event an obstacle strikes the bearing. The metal sleeve 38 also forms a part to which the plate 40 may be anchored eifectively as by welding.

It will be apparent that this construction is particularly well suited for use in harrows of the lift-up type which are connected to a tractor by a power lift hitch. A large proportion of the weight of a harrow is made up of the disk gangs, and these disk gangs are customarily located rearwardly of the hitch so that the leverage thereof is quite great. 'I'hus a harrow provided with disk blade gangs of this construction, and of the light weight resulting from this construction, requires less force to raise it from a working position to an elevated transport position than would be required in conventional harrows using castings and like heavy parts as spacers and bearings.

If desired, the centering disks I8 and 20 may be dispensed with by forming the disk blades themselves with annular offsets to provide annular shoulders against Which the ends of the tubular members 26 and 32 may bear to center the same relative to said disks. In this instance it may be desirable that the shoulders have a conical shape to facilitate the centering functions of the tubes with respect thereto.

An alternative construction is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein parts similar to those employed in the previously described embodiment bear the same reference numerals. In this construction the opposite ends of the spacer tubes 26 have centering members 50 and 52 mounted therein. Each of these centering members has a central opening of a size and shape to fit slidably but non-rotatably upon the elongated shaft I2 and has marginal iiange portions 54 which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the spacer tubes 26 at 56. In the form of the centering members 5U and 52 herein shown, the same are formed from rectangular metal plates Whose corner portions are bent perpendicularly to define the flanges 54. This construction is illustrative only and it will be understood that the members 50 and 52 may be formed of cup-shape or any other desired construction which will permit their secure connection in desired position to and within the tubes 25 at their ends. In this construction the use of centering disks I8 and 20 of the type above described can be omitted. It is desired, however, to provide a certain spring or resilience at each disk plate in the assembly, and for this purpose a concavo-convex disk 58, whose radius of curvature is slightly less than the radius of curvature of the blade I0 and whose diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the tubes 26, is positioned in engagement with the convex face of the disk plate. It will be apparent that this construction permits the spacers with their centering means to be pre-formed as a unit and applied as a unit in the assembly of the device, thus reducing the number of parts which must be handled during inal assembly. Furthermore, the construction by virtue of the spring disk 58 affords a certain amount of resilience since the construction may be tensioned by the inward pressing of each of the spacer tubes 26 against the disk blade E0, thus stressing or tensioning said disk 58 and assuring a rm positioning of the disk blade while at the same time affording a small amount of resilience to accommodate the limited deflection of the blade I0. The same construction of centering a disk lxedly secured within the ends of the spacer tubes 26 may be employed in the construction of the inner tubes 32 of the bearing members.. i,

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A disk blade gang comprising an elongated rigid shaft, a plurality of disk blades mounted non-rotatably on said shaft in spaced relation, dished plates associated with each blade and having circumferential off-set abutment surfaces and a central shaft-receiving aperture, tubular rigid spacers having a uniform bore encircling said shaft with clearance and interposed between said blades in engagement with said abutments in concentric relation to said shaft, and means on said shaft for drawing said blades, plates and spacers into rm engagement, each dished plate providing two abutment surfaces concentric with each other and with said blade, certain of said spacers engaging the outer surface of adjacent circumferential abutments and at least two spacers being smaller in diameter to engage the inner surfaces of adjacent circumferential abutments, a sleeve rotatably encircling said small spacers, and a connector carried by each sleeve.

2. A disk blade gang comprising a shaft, a plurality of disk blades mounted on said shaft in spaced relation, thin gage spacer tubes interposed between said blades, sheet metal washers,

means on said washers for supporting the ends of said tubes, and means for securing said blades, washers and tubes together in a rigid unitary structure, said washers each having a centering aperture fitting said shaft and each engaging the blade adjacent thereto continuously at substantially the diameter of the end of the tube supported thereby, said washers being of larger diameter than said tubes and the outer margin of each washer continuously engaging the adjacent blade outwardly of the tube supported thereby to strengthen and reinforce said blade, said tubes being of substantially uniform Wall thickness throughout and having a bore of greater dimension than said shaft located substantially concentric with said shaft.

JABEZ A. LOVE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 840,288 Barker Jan. 1, 1907 1,155,289 lStrom et al Sept. 28, 1915 1,416,906 Strom et al May 23, 1922 2,253,391 Ohlendorf Aug. 19, 1941 2,256,220 Sjogren Sept. 16, 1941 2,272,100 Thomas et al Feb. 3, 1942 2,324,064 Coffing July 13, 1943 2,331,738 Seaholrn Oct. 12, 1943 2,421,306 White May 27, 1947 2,527,234 Taylor Oct. 24, 1950 

